"Your power has been firmly sealed within this mask. Your power shall be a menace no longer. I truly pray that you can sleep peacefully for all eternity.

(Carver of Majora's Mask)

Chapter Nine
"Link's Decision"

Link tucked the blanket tightly around the sleeping boy. He turned and looked at Malon. The others were on the other side of the room talking amongst themselves, probably planning the next course of action. Saria and Daphnes seemed to be the most active speakers of the group, Link noticed Saria glancing at him before continuing the conversation she was having with Daphnes.

"Malon" Link began, "are you really part of the Red Lions? It's hard to believe you are because of...your condition."

Malon looked down for a moment before looking Link in the eyes and responding slowly, "Well...I don't join them in the battles, but I help nurse the sick. So, in a way...I consider myself part of the Red Lions. Anyways...I wouldn't be here now if it weren't for them. After what happened at the ranch I couldn't take over the family business since I couldn't use my legs, plus I'd never be able to pay for the reconstruction. So...Lon Lon Ranch is no more. I had nowhere else to go. And the Red Lions, after saving me, offered me a position as a nurse. So here I am."

Link sighs, "I...still can't believe it. How can Zelda do something like this? It doesn't make sense..."

Malon shook her head, "No, it does...she really loved you and it's understandable."

Link looks at Malon and clenches his fists, "How can you act like that! Look what Zelda did to you! Aren't you even a bit angry at what she's done!"

Malon closed her eye and said, "Angry? There isn't a word strong enough to describe how much hate I feel for her," Malon opened her eye and continued, "but I understand her reasons for her actions. Noone wants to be truly alone."

Link was about to say something when Saria taps him on the shoulder, "Link, Daphnes wants to speak with you."

Link nods and tells Malon goodbye before walking off towards Daphnes.

Saria sits down beside the sleeping boy, "What do you think?"

Malon blinked, "Huh? Oh, uhm...well...Link's pretty cute, he seems kind...just like I remembered him, and he still has that charm to him that seems to come naturally and his eyes are so..."

Saria raised a brow, "I was talking about the little boy."

Malon blinked again, "Oh! Well..." she cleared her throat, "he's been quiet since he arrived here, and he's still in shock. We should let him rest and when he wakes up we should make him feel welcome and slowly ease him back to normal. By the way, what's his name?"

Saria shrugged, slowly brushing the boy's hair out of his sleeping face, "I don't know...he hasn't said a word since we rescued him."

The two girls sat there in an awkward silence.

Finally, Saria looked at Malon and asked, "...what was that you were saying?"

Malon smiled nervously, blushing slightly, "About what?"

Saria smiled teasingly, "Link."

Daphnes lead Link into the next room so they could speak in private. Daphnes spoke, "Link, have you come to a decision?"

Link looked Daphnes in the eye and said, "What decision?"

"Whether or not you'll help us..." Daphnes responded.

Link sighs and leans back against the wall, "I've given it a lot of thought and..."

Daphnes waited before asking, "And...?"

"After all I've seen and heard, I still can't believe this is all real. It's like a dream or something...like I don't belong here."

"Sadly, it's not a dream."

"I know..." Link agreed sadly, "I just don't feel right about this. This is wrong."

Daphnes inquired, "Wrong? We're trying to save Hyrule." Link looks down to the floor, "Look, Zelda, she's...she's not herself, and well...I think I should talk to her, maybe I could get her to change...to get her back to normal."

Daphnes shook his head, "No."

Link looked back up at Daphnes with an angry expression, "Why not? She's your daughter! I'm trying to avoid murdering her!"

Daphnes sighs, "How do you think I feel? I'm her father after all."

Link responds softly, "I'm sorry. It's just...I don't think I can do it."

Daphnes puts a hand on Link's shoulder, "Listen, Link...I understand how you feel, but Zelda has performed mass genocide of her own people. I don't think I need to tell you that it's a very big offense against Hylian law. The law MUST be allowed to run its course. Even royalty can't be exempt from the law. Zelda is my daughter, my own flesh and blood. Don't you think I've tried to reason with her? I've done everything I could. It was out of my hands as soon as she drew blood from her first victim. Now, she is a threat to this great land of ours. She has killed millions over the span of two years. Ever since you were presumed dead six years ago, she had never truly been herself."

Link caught on to something suspicious, "Wait...I disappeared six years ago, I know that, but...you're saying she started killing only two years ago? What happened the first four years?"

Daphnes remained silent before hesitantly speaking, "Why don't you ask Zelda that yourself? She knows better...since it affected her the most."

Link replied slowly, "...does that mean you'll let me speak with her?"

Daphnes closed his eyes and nodded, "You have only one chance, if anything goes wrong, then we'll have to...kill her."

Link nods slowly, looking slightly grateful at the former king's kindness, "Thank you, Daphnes, sir."

Daphnes tried his best to form a smile, "That's only because I trust you, Link...you're the only one who can get close to her. You're the only one that will make her let her guard down. That will be our most opportune time to strike. Like I said before, we'll give you time to try to talk to her and get her back to normal, but I can guarantee that as soon as something goes wrong...we'll attack."

Link sighed, "I pray that...the Goddesses will give me the courage to do this."

Daphnes responded at this, "No...the Goddesses have nothing to do with this...you're the holder of the Triforce of Courage, the courage you need is only found inside yourself, you need only look there."

Link smiled faintly, "Yes...how stupid of me. I'll need a bit more time to prepare and think this over. When do we do this?"

"...We leave for Hyrule Castle in thirty minutes."